Division III Predictions Cough em up

OK, Division III folks, it appears (at the moment) that the weather will cooperate with our plans to play soccer this weekend.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings—

So let’s talk Walrus and say who wins this weekend!

This week will go along way to the top 5 sorting themselves out. The real interesting thing is what if any teams fold, loose players to backfill D1 teams or can manage to stay together next year for another run. I hope that all teams can retain their core because I think it will make next year that much more competitive and fun!

Having some serious futbol withdrawals.

Feet vs. Solar Gold, hmmm. I like my family life...SG 2-1.

Flash vs. Solar Gold, SG 2-0. If Flash was as beat up as we were closer than record.
Meja United vs. Solar Chelsea White, SW 3-1, Should be exciting, both gritty teams.
Sting Ferretti vs. Mustangs Navy, 2-2 tie, Good back and forth game both teams need.
Meja Martinez North vs. Feet, Feet 2-1, Tough. If SG game is slugfest...Meja upsets.
Dallas Texans North vs. Sting West West, 1-1, another close game both teams need.

Dad- Feet V Solar G is going to be interesting to see how The Big Layoff affects both teams: Made you guys healthy, did it cool off the hot feet? The Feet have been a different team this Spring & attacking the net in big way (2 pts v Sting W, 3 vs DT, 3 v Flash, 0 against). I'm still impressed with the way feet beat Sting W (didn't see other gms). If SG can control Feet transition and its fast front line, it'll be close either way. Can't see a healthy SG not scoring, but barring injuries over layoff, I think it'll take 2, 3 goals to win this game. Feet 2-1

MU v SW: SW 1-0
Sting F v Mustang: 2 criteria for this game: 1) Which Sting F team shows up? 2)Do the refs call a soccer game or allow a wrestling match? Tie 1-1
Meja N v Feet: agree with ya dad-2nd tough game in as many days not good for feet. Upset very possible, but I think a tie, 1-1
DTX v Sting W: I don't think the game vs Sting F was a fluke. DTX 1-0

Packrabbit wrote:Dad- Feet V Solar G is going to be interesting to see how The Big Layoff affects both teams: Made you guys healthy, did it cool off the hot feet? The Feet have been a different team this Spring & attacking the net in big way (2 pts v Sting W, 3 vs DT, 3 v Flash, 0 against). I'm still impressed with the way feet beat Sting W (didn't see other gms). If SG can control Feet transition and its fast front line, it'll be close either way. Can't see a healthy SG not scoring, but barring injuries over layoff, I think it'll take 2, 3 goals to win this game. Feet 2-1

You may well be right. I am not as worried about the layoff as I was the depletion. SG isn't totally healthy, just relatively healthy (meaning at least enough healthy ones to start the match). If SG finishes, they can compete. I expect a pretty even game. I wouldn't be surprised to see it 3-2 or more either except that both have quality defenses too.

dadof3 wrote:

Packrabbit wrote:Dad- Feet V Solar G is going to be interesting to see how The Big Layoff affects both teams: Made you guys healthy, did it cool off the hot feet? The Feet have been a different team this Spring & attacking the net in big way (2 pts v Sting W, 3 vs DT, 3 v Flash, 0 against). I'm still impressed with the way feet beat Sting W (didn't see other gms). If SG can control Feet transition and its fast front line, it'll be close either way. Can't see a healthy SG not scoring, but barring injuries over layoff, I think it'll take 2, 3 goals to win this game. Feet 2-1

You may well be right. I am not as worried about the layoff as I was the depletion. SG isn't totally healthy, just relatively healthy (meaning at least enough healthy ones to start the match). If SG finishes, they can compete. I expect a pretty even game. I wouldn't be surprised to see it 3-2 or more either except that both have quality defenses too.

Agreed-- it will comes down to who finishes (who shows up, 3 weeks is a lifetime to 13 yr olds-- with all the rain, neither team has probably trained much).
I think each team having their top 11, each team wanting (surely) THIS win, it will be more aggressive than conservative. Aggressive games usually end with more risk-taking and scoring. In the end, this game probably won't determine the top spot, but neither team will finish "worse" than 2nd regardless of outcome. Good health to both team's girls!

SG finished 1 and Feet didn't. I heard it was a gorgeous goal, and that it was 70/30 with whoever had the wind...SG wins (by numerous sources) a great matchup. Back on the pitch at 8 tomorrow...Stay healthy all!

Congrats on the win SG (if sources are correct). You have proven once again that nothing is set in stone.

That score is certain, and my word (as always) is highly questionable...lol.

Looks like tomorrow will be a wonderful day for soccer!

Well congrats and good luck tomorrow

Score one for the underdogs again. Solar 1 Meja united 0

SG toughs it out against Flash 1-0. Possessed the ball most of the game, but tired legs killed the finishing...Will take the 6 pts this weekend.

BTW-Flash sweeper and keeper were both great today-nice job girls!

Congrats Solar G!

How'd the other games go today?

Any word on Feet/Meja?
DTN/Sting W?
Sting F/Mustangs?

Oh, and are we about to get our reschedules...rescheduled???

It would appear so Dad.

Packrabbit wrote:

dadof3 wrote:

Packrabbit wrote:Dad- Feet V Solar G is going to be interesting to see how The Big Layoff affects both teams: Made you guys healthy, did it cool off the hot feet? The Feet have been a different team this Spring & attacking the net in big way (2 pts v Sting W, 3 vs DT, 3 v Flash, 0 against). I'm still impressed with the way feet beat Sting W (didn't see other gms). If SG can control Feet transition and its fast front line, it'll be close either way. Can't see a healthy SG not scoring, but barring injuries over layoff, I think it'll take 2, 3 goals to win this game. Feet 2-1

You may well be right. I am not as worried about the layoff as I was the depletion. SG isn't totally healthy, just relatively healthy (meaning at least enough healthy ones to start the match). If SG finishes, they can compete. I expect a pretty even game. I wouldn't be surprised to see it 3-2 or more either except that both have quality defenses too.

Agreed-- it will comes down to who finishes (who shows up, 3 weeks is a lifetime to 13 yr olds-- with all the rain, neither team has probably trained much).
I think each team having their top 11, each team wanting (surely) THIS win, it will be more aggressive than conservative. Aggressive games usually end with more risk-taking and scoring. In the end, this game probably won't determine the top spot, but neither team will finish "worse" than 2nd regardless of outcome. Good health to both team's girls!

As Usual, my predictions were spot on... I guess one could nit-pick some minor discrepancies of my expert analysis...

I see some shifting around on the standings.
SF vs 1-1 must have been a good game. Both teams fighting to stay in top 3 or 4 spot.
Meja vs D'feet with D'feet 1-0 win might have been also a good game, but a game meja needed to get atleast a tie. Could hurt them for the final 5 spot.
DTXN vs Sting West DTXN 1-0 win also DTXN jumping from 7-4 spot are in a roll or are they getting things together. A game Sting realy needed to win.
This is going to be a very tight race to the end.

Meja North is scheduled to play Meja United as the final game of the year for both teams. Since GM is the coach of both teams, what is to keep this game from being decided before the game is played?

Isn’t there a huge conflict of interest, when a coach has to teams playing in the same division? If Meja North needs a full three points and a certain goal differential, what is to say that the game is not rigged and decided before the players take the field? The fall game ended in a 1-1 tie and the only point Meja United had for the fall season.

Since GM already bypassed the bye rules and placed a mid PPL team never associated with Galaxy in lake highlands and got away with it, what would keep him from deciding results to help his team with promotion?

Hmmm...That point has been asked all season. Nobody seems to take note of it outside the 3-4 posters who have mentioned it here.

Truth is, there is NOTHING that can really be done except rely on honesty. Would it be shocking to see Meja N win that game 5-0...not really since Galaxy has been beaten like that a few times...shocking to see a 1-1 tie? Not really, Meja N ties everyone...This has been a question this entire year.

Agreed, I would like to see LHGCL avoid the conflict of interest through cognitive scheduling. It is a travesty to schedule the two teams with the same coach for the last game of the year. They should play each other at the beginning of the season.

I can't imagine a group of players as competitive as the Meja N bunch throwing a game or even taking it easy on a sister team. Giving points to a squad that will not make 5th place this season, especially when the possibility of advancement for Meja N. to DII is within reach seems counterintuitive. I'm not convinced. What would be the incentive to tie or let Meja U run the score?

That wouldn't be the way it would work...it would Meja Galaxy throwing in the towel for a 10-0 game that pushes Meja N into #5 on goal differential...

Noob wrote:Agreed, I would like to see LHGCL avoid the conflict of interest through cognitive scheduling. It is a travesty to schedule the two teams with the same coach for the last game of the year. They should play each other at the beginning of the season.

I disagree (and I said this at the beginning of the year)...I don't know Meja's coach, I honestly think him to be a decent man, and I don't mean this to question his integrity, but this SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED AT ALL. Coaching teams in different divisions is fine, but within a division...it leads to too many questions and opportunities. It is the same principle as two people watching the books...It precludes the QUESTION of impropriety. Almost ANY result will raise someone's eyebrows.

I don't think the Meja U girls would concede a victory either, they too have a very competitive streak, and subsequently so does the assistant coach for United, whom presumably will field the team during the Meja Bowl match.